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BY SCOTT FITZGERALD W hat was it like to be a female student-athlete at the time UVA was adding women on Grounds and elevating some sports programs to varsity status? Here are the thoughts and memories of sev- eral former UVA students from those early days. THE PI THE PIONEERS ONEERS A Look Back At The Early Days Of Women's Athletics At UVA HEATHER DOW LACROSSE AND FIELD HOCKEY (1978-82) What was your favorite memory as a student-athlete at UVA? Dow: "The general enjoyment of being part of a team sharing the same goals and working hard to achieve them. Also being on the field hockey team that qualified for nationals held at Cal Berkeley. There were lots of fun memories from that trip, although we weren't as successful as we hoped." What was life as a female student-athlete like in the early years at UVA after Title IX? Were there any special challenges? Dow: "Things changed slowly at UVA. I played from 1978-82 and Title IX had become law in 1972. My teams still shared locker rooms with the swim- ming team, shared uniforms between hockey and lacrosse, we traveled to games by van. If we stayed overnight, which wasn't often, it was four players to a room. We were issued one pair of cleats, which if you were a younger player, had usually been worn by someone the season before. "When we did an alumni call this summer, the cleats thing was something we laughed about and that players often had different jersey numbers based upon what sizes were available. There was no choosing your number." How proud are you of the tradition UVA women's athletics has estab- lished in its 50-year history? Dow: "UVA female student-athletes have experienced tremendous suc- cess in the classroom and on the playing field. Most importantly, they have demonstrated women CAN do it all — be successful students, accomplished athletes, wonderful mothers and mentors, and outstanding leaders in their chosen careers. "I truly believe in the skills you learn being part of a team — melding your personal goals with those of the team, challenging yourself and others to achieve at a level you weren't sure you could, building self-confidence every step of the way, and learning to turn setbacks into chances to improve." HEATHER DOW PHOTO COURTESY UVA Debbie (Lotz) Walker was among the trailblazers on the club women's basketball team in the early 1970s that helped pave the way for female ath- letes on Grounds. PHOTO COURTESY UVA 16 CAVALIER CORNER YEARS OF WOMEN AT UVA